Laidback Nerd

Mission Report

Mission Objective:

To conquer the Isles

The Team:

The Drama Queen – team leader, mission researcher and planner, master of disguise
The Caregiver – chief medical officer, quarter master
The Foreigner –  intelligence officer, team interpreter and spokesperson
The Exorcist –  research officer, marine, detoxification expert, bomb expert
The Girlfriend – equipments officer responsible for overall navigation and transport, communications engineer, specialized biological weapons expert capable of stopping speech
The Killer – special weapons officer, has a deadly wink, master magician
Ang Huling Birhen sa Lupa – surveillance officer, medical officer
Ang Tsuk-Tsak – psychological war expert, weapons master, able to deliver a deadly blow potent up to 3 minutes, superior physical strength

The Night Before:

21:00 — The Girlfriend arrived at The Foreigner’s place first, The Drama Queen arrived a short while later. After careful planning, the three set out to meet with the other operatives.

First stop was at The Caregiver’s place. Then they went to pick-up Ang Huling Birhen sa Lupa. The Academic was the next stop but was caught up in another mission. They met-up with The Killer then roamed the streets in search of Ang Tsuk-Tsak who had to swing by his safehouse to acquire much needed equipment.

Day 1:

00:00 — The team arrived back at The Foreigner’s place and attempted to rest for the day’s mission.

04:30 — The sleep-deprived team was roused by The Exorcist’s text message. The Girlfriend went to meet up with the Exorcist while the foreigner and the caregiver prepared breakfast. The drama queen contacted the academic who still wasn’t available for the mission.

05:30 — After taking care of some loose ends, the team was en route to the mission site. The Girlfriend was driving with Ang Tsuk-Tsak navigating. Everybody was in high spirits.

Secondary Mission: Survey all churches along the way and document the visits

The team deemed it impossible to accomplish the mission without compromising the main mission so they decided to implement random sampling. They were able to visit 3 churches.

09:00 — The team, not wanting to blow their cover, posed as regular tourists and took pictures on the viewdeck. Ang Tsuk-Tsak took over the driving while the drama queen navigated.

09:30 — The team arrived at the seaside safehouse and immediately made arrangements to acquire supplies.

10:30 — The team split-up into 2 groups, one (The Exorcist, The Caregiver, The Drama Queen, The Foreigner) set-out to survey the place while group 2 (The Girlfriend, The Killer, Ang Tsuk-Tsak, Ang Huling Birhen sa Lupa) went out for some additional supplies.

Special weapons were distributed to all team members. The items were: a shirt, 2 shorts, a nail grooming set, 2 combs, a box of rubber hair bands, a wooden mug and a deck of cards. All of which proved to be very useful in the mission.

11:00 — After changing into their dry wetsuits, the team was finally on their way to the primary mission site aboard an ocean vessel steered by a certain Mang Jerry. He briefed the team on the local knowledge of the site and took them on a tour.

Finally arriving at the primary mission site, they set out to have the time of their lives. There was nobody else there but the team. They swam, ate, drank and laughed. Pictures were taken of almost anything and everything on the island.

The team decided to do a survey of the primary mission site and ended up under a hollow side of the island. As the waves grew stronger the team was pushed into the sharp rough wall of rock and sustained injury. When Ang tsuk-tsak, ang huling birhen sa lupa, the virgin and the girlfriend were able to get the team out of the immediate danger, the caregiver attended to the cuts and scrapes.

Sand and water samples were analyzed and tested for possible uses—exfoliant, building material, sustenance and waste/evidence disposal.

17:00 — The team went back to the safehouse for the night on the same ocean vessel bringing with them sand samples as well as a few algal samples.

19:30 — The exhausted team had dinner of green mangoes, tomatoes and chicken at the safehouse terrace overlooking the ocean then trained for the next morning’s mission. Night surveillance was considered but being too tired they decided against it.

Inside the safehouse, the team practiced their special skills until morning. Details of which are deemed as “need-to-know” basis.

Day 2:

07:30 — The team was awakened by The Foreigner informing them of an emergency operation to be done on the primary mission site. The team geared-up for it.

08:30 — The team was again en route to the primary mission site in the same vessel. Once there, they again tested sand and water samples plus rock samples but the weather wasn’t cooperating. The Drama Queen discovered that sand and water can preserve 25-cent coins. The Foreigner became skilled in handling the surveillance camera. The Caregiver discovered extra sensory perception. The Girlfriend discovered how calendar pictures were shot. The Killer, Ang Tsuk-Tsak and Ang Huling Birhen sa Lupa surveyed the water for seaweed and algal growth. The Exorcist saved strength for the trip home.

13:00 — Time to leave the primary mission site for the safehouse and get ready for the trip home. The wind was becoming stronger and the waves bigger. The team had to get out fast. Braving the waves one final time on the same vessel, the team headed back.

16:30 — After checking all the equipment, the team was ready to head home. The Girlfriend drove and The Caregiver navigated. They had a very late lunch comprising of noodles and toppings at a fastfood place.

The team made a quick stopover at The Caregiver’s summer house. During the long and rainy trip (no STAIRS in the sky) the team assessed the mission and made plans for the next one. They decided that the next one might just be in Subic or if time and resources would allow, maybe even Boracay.

20:00 — The team arrives at The Foreigner’s place. They rested and had the debriefing over dinner. The Caregiver and The Killer took care of cleaning up the evidence.

23:00 — The Girlfriend drove everybody home. Everybody was reluctant to go but the vision of the next mission was enough to inspire them.

Recomendations:

There is a need to train and invite more operatives for the next, bigger mission.

“tatawagan mo parin ba ‘ko susulatan mo pa ba ako tayo parin ba ‘ng dalawa kahit …na bye bye na aalis ka na bye bye na rin ba sa atin alaala”

Mission Accomplished!

“Grabe guys thanks for the company, this outing is so fun, sobra ang bonding. Miss ko agad kayo. We should do this again and again to the nth time. Thanks talaga. Love yah all!” — The Exorcist

“Thanks guys, and I want to grow old with you all! Ay mali, ulit…..I want to grow old with you guys!” — The Caregiver

“Guys, thanks for lending me your ears and for just simply being you..I have found the real unconditional, fun-loving, happy, etc. etc. frends in you! I thank God for that…Love you all..GBU” — The Drama Queen

“We went on this trip as friends, we came back as a family. My heart has found seven new places to come home to. Thank you for making room in your lives for me. Love you guys so much.” — The Foreigner

“Thanks for inviting me to this outing, sana nag-enjoy kayo sa company ko.” — Ang Huling Birhen sa Lupa

“Heller!!! Sarap ng feeling ko kahit sermon me sa bahay! Sana maulit yung outing pwedeng mamaya ulit? Hehe. Thanks guys! I really enjoyed sa outing natin. Just keep in touch and stick together. MGA PANGET!” — Ang Tsuk-Tsak

“Oo nga e..Pati din ako may lagnat. Pero mas matindi pa din yung effect ng mga alaala natin…Uy nagdrama daw! Hahhaha!” — The Killer

“All the smiles, the laughter and the tears, I have only seen and experienced it here. Years may have passed and we may have matured, but definitely the kid in us always appears whenever we’re together. I would never trade a single moment i have experienced with you guys. You all are true friends and i hope we can pass this treasure to future generations. thanks! i love you all”. — The Girlfriend

I Am

Here is a poem written by a friend of mine. She was kind enough to let me read her poem and I asked her if I could post it here and she gave me permission. I would like to share your works here and if you have any other works you would like to share, just drop me a line or look at my contact page to see how you can get in touch with me.

I Am

I want to run, far away to escape
And live my dream in my refuge.
Far from doubtful eyes,
Far from mocking thoughts,
Far from reality.
In a world where I can…

Walk on runway, glimpse on cam lights
Be a face at those billboards.
Read my story on a 10-spread page.

Sing on my stage, dance my steps.
Perform on my show.
Be my own icon.

Live the supernatural life.
See the future, fight my own kryptonite, fly throughout the sky.
Be needed.

Live eternally.
Answer all mysteries.
Make the impossible reality.

But when it’s time to return,
And end dreaming to go back to now,
To be scathed into bits again,
And take the slaps of cruelty.

Somewhere between truth and fantasy,
I am me.
I can make it happen.

© 2008 Melanie Y. Cunanan